Carrick changed by United

Michael Carrick has admitted that signing for Manchester United has changed him as a player.

By Mike Barton

Last Updated: 26/02/10 5:52pm

Michael Carrick has admitted that signing for Manchester United has changed him as a player.

The 28-year-old, who moved to Old Trafford from Tottenham in 2006, has enjoyed great success since his £14million move to the Premier League holders and fully intends to add to his medal haul when his side take on Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final on Sunday.

The midfielder, who has won three Premier League titles, a European Cup and Carling cup winner's medal in his time at the club, was adamant his move to United has given him more hunger to continue winning trophies.

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"Without doubt I am a different player than I was when I arrived," said Carrick.

"I used to dream about winning a trophy and I was lucky enough to win the Premier League in my first year.

"But pretty much straight afterwards, before we went away in the summer, we lost the FA Cup final.

"Ever since then, as soon as I have won something, I have wanted more.

"Winning is a great feeling but the desire to achieve extra is the thing that drives you on."

Driven

The England World Cup hopeful was full of praise for United's most experienced squad members, who have seen and done it all in their time at the club in the past and driven him to constantly crave success.

"The appetite of people like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville - and not forgetting the manager - is incredible and it rubs off on everyone else," he added.

"It is about the future. That is what is so great about the people at this club."

Carrick is looking to rewrite the history books with United in that they have astonishingly never managed to retain a cup competition in their history.

However Carrick, although aware of what could be done, insisted that simply winning the tournament was the most important thing.

"It would be nice to do and we have got ourselves into a good position," he said.

"But that is just a by-product of the main aim, which is winning the game and picking up that medal."